The top reported proficiency rate is 23% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Sunny Hill Intermediate School
Sunny Hill Intermediate School serves only fifth and sixth graders in Brownsville, part of the Haywood County district in rural West Tennessee. Because it covers just these two grade levels, there is no high school graduation rate or senior-year data to consider; the picture here is exclusively about academic footing in the upper elementary and early middle-school years.
State testing results for the most recent year available show that proficiency rates, across math, English language arts, science, and social studies, were all low. In every subject the share of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level was a modest one relative to the state as a whole. Math proficiency was the weakest area, while English language arts was slightly stronger but still limited. Science and social studies results fell in a similar range. These are the school’s own reported figures, and a parent may want to discuss directly with the school what steps are being taken to raise achievement and how the curriculum aligns with state expectations. Full participation in testing means the results reflect nearly every enrolled student, not a selected subset.
The student body is majority Black, with a substantial White minority and smaller shares of Hispanic and Asian students. More than half of the roughly 350 students are Black, and about a quarter are White. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. No information was reported on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, on students with disabilities, or on English learner status, so a family would need to ask the school directly about the supports available for those populations.
Brownsville is a small county seat with a historic downtown, a traditional town square, and a few notable cultural draws: the Tina Turner Museum, the Ann L. Marks Performing Arts Center, and a large outdoor sculpture called The Mindfield. The town has seen a slight population decline in recent years, but city leaders point to the nearby Memphis Regional Megasite as a source of future growth and development. Home values in the area are well below state and national medians, and rents are correspondingly affordable. The housing market has seen a small dip in recent months, but the overall cost of living remains low relative to much of Tennessee.
The Haywood County school district, which operates Sunny Hill Intermediate, had no recently reported changes in policy, curriculum, or funding that a parent would need to track. That does not mean nothing is happening, only that publicly available records did not surface any major shifts with lasting impact on families.
For a family considering this school, the central facts are clear. Academic outcomes on the state’s TNReady assessments are below typical statewide levels across every tested subject, and the school serves only two grades, meaning any transition into or out of Sunny Hill involves another school in the district. The setting is a small rural city with a quiet downtown and affordable housing. A parent with concerns about the academic pathway would want to talk with school staff about intervention programs, enrichment opportunities, and what the next school—likely a middle or junior high in the same district—looks like for these students. The available data does not speak to course offerings, tutoring, or extracurriculars, so those would need to be explored directly.
See more original research from School Decision →